Stepping Up
by 123me
Summary: He couldn't save his mother or his brother, but he could save Amber. He could save his sister, and in the end, that was all that mattered. 7x08 spoilers. ONESHOT


**I was inspired to write this after the last episode. If I get an idea, I have to go with it.**

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He burdered her.

Or at least, he thought he did.

She'd always been the one who listened to him, the one who helped him with his problems, who helped him figure out what to do.

She'd been there when he'd failed his boards, when he'd screwed up and cheated on her friend,she'd let him move into hers when he needed somewhere, been there when Izzie got cancer, when he'd got married, when his wife had died in his arms, and when she came back. She was there when said wife had left him, when his brother showed up out of the blue, when he'd been shot, and she was still there.

She'd listened to him as he told her that the same brother she'd met months before had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, listening as he told her his brother had tried to kill his sister.

She hadn't judged.

He wondered what he did to deserve her. He knew he could never even come close to repaying her for everything she had done for him.

She was, despite having Cristina herself, his best friend. The best friend he'd ever known, and he knew he needed her.

Meredith was there. She was always there. She had her own life now, but she was still always there. She even forgave him for messing with her little sister.

Sister.

That was the problem.

That was the reason he was taking a few days leave and heading back to Iowa.

His own sister.

Amber.

If Meredith could figure out how to be a good sister to the younger sibling she hadn't known about, he could damn well be a good brother to the sister he was raised with.

He'd called that night, after telling Meredith about Aaron. He'd called more for him than for her. He knew Aaron couldn't get her, but he needed to know she was okay.

She'd been far from okay.

Their mother was blaming her for what their brother had done. She'd been drinking, which was never good.

He'd called again a few days later, only to be told his mother was off her meds again. Her alcohol intake had increased, and he knew that if he didn't act, his sister could be in danger.

She was sixteen, she shouldn't have to deal with this.

He shouldn't of had to deal with this.

He'd filed the papers that night.

He didn't know if she knew he was coming, was sure that she didn't know what he'd done. He just knew it was necessary. He couldn't save his mother or his brother, but he could save Amber. He could save his sister, and in the end, that was all that mattered.

The past month of his life had been full of social workers and investigations into his home situation, and, once again, as usual, Meredith had been with him every step of the way.

She'd encouraged him. Convinced him that he could do this. Made sure he knew that although he wouldn't have as much time for his sister as she deserved, anything was better than leaving her living in the hell he'd grown up in.

He'd promised his friend they'd find their own place, her house was already crowded, but she insisted that he didn't have to do that, pointed out that she and Derek were building their own place, and that as soon as that was ready, there'd be plenty of room for Amber.

She'd said it would be a group effort, that they would all be there to help him. That he wasn't alone.

It wasn't going to be easy. He knew that. No teenager was easy to look after. He'd had enough teenage patients and had spoken to enough parents to know that, but it was something he had to do. He had to do what was best for Amber now.

He sighed as he turned onto the familiar street. The street he'd been on just over a month before. Despite knowing how important what he was doing was, he worried about leaving his mother alone. She couldn't care for herself, she'd proven that, but he knew his main concern had to be his sister.

He pulled up outside the house and stepped out of the car, standing by it on the pavement as he studied the building in front of him. Another car parked nearby told him the social worker was already here. He wondered if his mother had forgotten that today was the day. He knew she hadn't told Amber, even though it had been two weeks since the court had decided that she would be better off in his care until she was eighteen, until she could make her own decisions.

He walked up the steps to the front of the house, taking out his key and unlocking the door, he never had knocked here, stepping in quietly.

His silence went unrewarded, Amber must have seen him arrive, she was almost already at the door to greet him.

"You're back!"

"I said I'd come back." He reminded her. "How is she?"

He noticed the slight grimace that she tried to hide. "She's fine."

"Amber." He coaxed. "Don't lie to me. Especially after a drove halfway across the country for you."

"She's still off her meds." The teenager admitted, glancing back into the house. "And I can't get her to stop drinking."

"Where is she?"

"Some woman came and she took her upstairs." Amber gave the information freely. "They're in my room, don't know what they're doing."

"They're talking about what's going to happen." He took in the panic that automatically crossed her face. "I can't believe mom didn't even mention it. She didn't say anything!" He paused, letting out a breathe in order to calm himself. The last thing he needed to do was get angry. "When I called and you told me mom was drinking and off her meds, I went to the courts, and they decided, that it'd be better if you came to stay with me for a while."

"How long?"

He was surprised by the question. "As long as it takes for mom to get herself sorted."

"Can't you just stay here?" She questioned. "Mom needs us."

He flinched, he'd once uttered the same words to everyone when he was younger. 'Mom needs me' had become an automatic saying to him long before he was his sister's age.

"We tried." He pointed out. "I tried, Aaron tried, you tried. Mom doesn't want to be helped, not right now. This." He gestured around the house. "This isn't something I ever wanted you to have to deal with alone, and now Aaron's not with you to help. I can't leave you here."

"I'll be fine."

"Yeah." He agreed. "You would, but in Seattle with me, you're going to be more than fine. That's the difference." He hesitated. "You're still a kid. I don't want this to screw your childhood up like it did mine."

"We can't just leave her..."

"Mom will be looked after." He assured her. "I've sorted out care, okay, people that know what they're doing. Adult people."

"Do I have to go tonight?" She sounded worried. "Can I wait a few days?"

"My boss wants me back at work." Alex admitted. "And you need to start a new school, we don't want to be leaving it too late."

"That woman with mom." She seemed more certain now. "She's a social worker, isn't she?" He nodded. "I thought she was." She looked around. "You promise mom will get better?"

"I can't promise that." He reminded her. "All I can promise is that I'll do all I can. She'll be okay. There'll be people checking on her every day."

"People that know what they're doing?" He couldn't blame her for her questioning. "People that know better than me?"

He nodded. "People that have lots of experience with schizophrenics, people with more experience than even me."

"It rains in Seattle." Amber sighed. "It rains a lot."

He almost flinched against her words. Her biggest worries with leaving were who would look after their mother and the rain in Seattle. Not leaving friends, people her own age, her home. He realised she was more like him than he'd thought: She'd been looking after their mom for so long that she didn't have time for friends her own age, and this wasn't like home. He was changing that.

She was stronger now. Physically and emotionally stronger than she had been all those years ago when he left, and a part of him hated that, she shouldn't have had to be stronger.

He could only hope that one day he would get over the guilt he felt for leaving her, the guilt that had been overwhelming him since he found out about their brother.

He should have been there.

Without answering her question, he hugged her, taking in the familiar comforting scent. "I'm sorry."

She pulled back. "What for?"

"I left you with this." He reminded her. "I shouldn't have left you with them."

"You didn't know about Aaron." She pointed out, ever the logical one. "You couldn't have known mom would go off her meds."

"That doesn't make me leaving any better."

"You had to live your own life." She sighed. "I get that." she paused. "You HAVE your own life. Are you sure you want me there? I can stay with mom, I'll be stronger, better. I'll make her take her meds..."

"No you won't." He refused. "I had that life. I had that life for years. That's my story. It's not going to be yours. You're going to be a kid."

"Thanks." She smiled slightly. "I guess."

He realised she still wasn't sure how to act around him, other than a few weeks ago, she hadn't seen him in years, had barely spoken to him.

He looked up at the footsteps on the stairs, frowning as his mother followed the social worker down, an almost distraught look on her face.

"Mom." He greeted, moving in front of his sister as if he had to defend her.

"Don't do this." She pleaded. "Don't take her from me. I'll take my meds, I promise, let her stay. I'll listen to her when she tells me to take the meds. I'll listen..."

"Mom." He tried ignoring the pleas. "That's exactly why she has to come with me. It's not her job to get you taking your meds. That's your job. She's a kid, mom. Amber is a kid and as long as she's here she's not going to get to act like one."

"Alex..."

"Mrs. Karev." The social worker stepped in before he could interrupt himself. "I'm sorry if I haven't explained the situation to you well enough. The courts have placed your daughter in the care of her brother for her own protection. The case will be reviewed in a few months, but for now it's better for Amber if we all support the decision."

He watched as his mother just left the room, only offering one remark as she walked. "Take her then. Just take her."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

He glanced behind him at his sister before he nodded, before facing the social worker again. "I can help her with the packing."

The social worker nodded, but followed them to Amber's room anyway. Of course, legally she had to be there until he and Amber had left on the off chance that their mother would try something.

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They'd been on the road for a few hours before he called. He'd waited until Amber was asleep before pulling over at the side of the road and fishing out his cell.

She answered after the first ring.

"Hey. How'd it go?"

"Pretty straight forward." He felt inclined to tell her everything. "My mom, she didn't try that hard to keep her. Amber's fine, she's asleep. My car's full of her crap and will probably break down sometime before we get back."

Meredith laughed. "Sounds great."

"I can do this, right?"

"Yes." The response was automatic, and he could almost picture her face. "You can do this." There was a hesitation, and he heard faint mumbles from the other end of the line. "The others are home. When do you think you'll get back?"

"Just gone noon tomorrow." He elaborated. "If things go to plan anyway."

"I spoke to the chief." He smiled slightly as he heard her admittal. "He asked me to tell you that if you need some time off, just to tell him."

"Thanks." He smiled, before turning when he saw his sister stir. "I should go. Have to find somewhere to stop for the night."

"Okay." Meredith answered. "Call me when you set off again in the morning?"

He agreed before hanging up the phone, starting the car once again. It was going to be a long night.

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"What if they don't like me?" Alex frowned at his sister as she stepped out of the car. "What? They don't have to. What if they don't?"

"You're a Karev." He decided. "Of course they'll like you."

"I bet they didn't like you at first."

"They love me." He commented. "You, you're more likeable than I am, you've got nothing to worry about."

"Yes." He grabbed one of her bags out of the car. "Come on."

He couldn't help but smile as she cautiously followed him up to the house, tapping her foot as he opened the door, following him inside.

"MEREDITH!" he raised his voice. "YOU HERE?"

"Do you have to shout?"

He turned to his sister to answer, but ended up watching as she automatically tensed. He turned back to see Meredith standing on the stairs.

"Hey." he greeted. "You're not working today?"

"I wanted to be here."

He nodded, turning back to his sister and pushing her forward slightly.

"Meredith." He started. "This is Amber."

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**Review?**


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